Ask Jeff Cooper: The Push Present

What are Push Presents?
The push present or baby bauble is a celebrity trend that’s definitely reached the rest of us. Babycenter.com revealed that 38% of new moms received a push present. As one mom told Babyzone.com, “Was it necessary? No. Was it an unbelievably special gift that oftentimes will help me recall one of the most beautiful and amazing experiences of my life? Absolutely.”

According to Tori Spelling, “a push present is supposed to be something you wear forever, as a token of your child.” Her husband Dean McDermott once gave her a Balenciaga bag as a push present. For Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, it was a gold bracelet. Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Garner a classic diamond ring.

Some Daddies give creative push presents, like the four pairs of biker boots Tim Burton gave Helena Bonham Carter. Some are more thoughtful than glamorous. One mom came home to a new king-size bedroom set she’d wanted for months. Others are totally extravagant. Marc Anthony showed his appreciation by giving Jennifer Lopez a $300,000 canary diamond ring and $2.5 million earrings!

How to Pick a Push Present
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Rachel Zoe with a 10-karat cushion-cut diamond, surrounded by a halo of many more diamonds in a platinum setting. Her husband Rodger must have had some help coming up with a push present that reflected her style so perfectly, right?

An element of surprise is fabulous, but it’s okay to get some guidance from Mama on what would make the best gift. Sometimes the new mom chooses the gift and the husband puts a personal touch by engraving an inscription that makes it a keepsake.

In Hollywood, the standard is something sparkly, and it’s hard to go wrong with precious jewelry. Mathew Broderick went relatively subtle with his charm bracelet for Sarah Jessica Parker. Liev Schrieber gave Naomi Watts a platinum and diamond locket. Gifts that can be personalized make memorable push presents.

Personalized Push Presents
Jay-Z gave Beyonce a blue jeweled ring for the birth of their daughter Blue Ivy. Jessica Simpson’s fiancé Eric Johnson imported a collection of bracelets, necklaces and rings from Jessica’s favorite jewelry designer in Capri. Nick Cannon gave Mariah Carey a necklace that spelled the names of their twins in diamonds and pink sapphires. Special, right?

Keith Urban gave Nicole Kidman a cross necklace after their daughter Faith was born. We love meaningful push presents, and we’re doing a series of pendants with initials and spiritual symbols, based on a custom push present we made for Mike Rubendall’s wife.

Ultimately, the best push presents are personal, they last forever, and they make a new Mom feel special and loved. If you’re in the market for a push present, CONGRATULATIONS! The best part of what we do is getting to be a part of your special milestones.

Photo by Sean Taylor Photography

The Heirloom Diamond Pendant

Anyone can network on the golf course, but our own David Cooper launched a new creative venture right from the tattoo chair.

While being tattooed by another artist in Mike Rubendall’s studio, David was getting to know the legendary Rubendall, and they hit it off right away. “Mike would pop his head in from time to time, and we’d talk about everything we had in common. Besides being artists and business owners, we shared similar perspectives when it came to life, work and family.”

At the time, Mike and his wife were expecting their first baby, and David and his wife expected their second child around the same time. When David introduced Mike to the idea of a “push present,” they decided to collaborate on a pendant for Mike’s wife.

A push present, or baby bauble, is given to a new mom by her partner. It’s usually jewelry, and the idea is to pamper her, honor her hard work, and celebrate the birth in a meaningful, memorable way.

That first pendant design, brought to life in gold and diamonds, proved their aesthetics were compatible. They immediately decided to create a full collection based on stars, initials and religious symbols. Millgrain edges give the pendants a vintage feeling, and they have the same refined simplicity you’d expect from any Jeff Cooper piece. As David puts it, “Mike has an eye for lines, proportion and flow. That’s what makes these pendants truly unique and special.”

To launch the new collection, we’ll be giving them away on Facebook. ‘Like’ us and we’ll let you know when it’s time to enter.